"Cinematically," says Mary F. Pols — a movie reviewer for Time — a movie in which the action takes place on July 4 "is an easy way to evoke summer and celebration and Americana." But she fears that such shorthand may lead to mediocrity.

Undeterred, we narrowed our list of July 4 films down to a handful. We chose movies in which all — or some — of the action takes place on the Fourth of July. And we listed only movies we have seen. We think that after the last watermelon seed has been spit and the smoke from the fireworks finale has finally faded away, it's a pretty good list of pretty good movies: